Beauty Demystified

There are certain make-up techniques that seem impossible to master no matter how hard we try. Basic mascara and blush are simple enough, but anything more complicated than that and it’s a disaster waiting to happen. When you try to apply liquid eyeliner you end up looking like your sobrina went to town on your face with a Sharpie, and false eyelashes make you look like RuPaul. Not to worry, we have some tips to hone your beauty skills and make this seemingly advanced stuff less intimidating:

If you’re wary about wearing red lipstick because you’re afraid of looking like a payaso, the first thing you need to do is pick out the right shade for your skin tone. Once you do, apply the color with a brush. This allows you to control the amount of lipstick you put on, and you can create a more subtle look.

If waxing terrifies you, there are a few things you can do to make the experience less traumatic. For instance, before you wax you can exfoliate with a sugar-based scrub to prevent breakouts and clean the area with witch hazel to remove excess oil so the wax sticks properly. Afterwards you can remove leftover wax with baby oil. And if you waxed your lip, remember not to use any anti-aging products for at least 24 hours.

To apply liquid eyeliner like a pro, start at the center of your top lashline and start dotting the liner moving toward the outer corner. The dots should be close enough together so that it looks like a line, but you don’t have to keep your hand as steady.

Novices at fake eyelashes should start with individual lashes. Begin by curling and applying mascara to your own lashes. Determine where the sparse areas are where you can apply the fake lashes. Pick a single lash grouping with slanted tweezers, dip the base in the eyelash glue and wait 10 seconds. Proceed to place lash along your lashline, starting at the outer corner. Wait 10 seconds for it to dry, and continue until you reach the center of your eye.